1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus, a wireless communication system, a wireless communication method, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the WiMedia Alliance, as a specification for access control methods using ultra wide band (UWB), a standard related to distributed media access control for wireless networks has been drawn up.
In the standard related to distributed media access control for wireless networks, methods are defined such as a method in which a wireless communication apparatus transmits a beacon signal to notify its existence to wireless communication apparatuses in the vicinity, and a method in which beacon signals transmitted from wireless communication apparatuses in the vicinity are acquired. In addition, in the standard related to distributed media access control for wireless networks, another method is defined in which the wireless communication apparatuses pre-determine time slots (MAS) for transmitting and receiving data signals between each other, then reserve a specific MAS, and transmit/receive the data signals in the reserved MAS.
According to this type of standard related to distributed media access control for wireless networks, an autonomous distributed network can be configured in which each wireless communication apparatus includes various types of access control information in respective beacon signals which are then transmitted as necessary, and receives beacon signals including access control information from wireless communication apparatuses in the vicinity.
Examples of the access control information include a channel change information element (channel change IE) for notifying wireless communication apparatuses in the vicinity when an working channel used in wireless communication is changed, a beacon period switch information element (BP switch IE) for changing the start time of a super frame cycle or a slot position for transmitting a beacon signal, and the like. Note that, in order to ensure transmission efficiency, it is desirable that the channel change IE is used to change the working channel to a low traffic channel.
Alternatively, in International Publication No. WO00/16532, a channel switching method is disclosed for a server-client computer network. The channel switching method switches to a different channel in the case that continued use of a channel becomes problematic. More specifically, the channel switching method is a method in which, in the case that continued used of the channel presently being used in the computer network becomes problematic, the server waits to receive from a different channel, and switches from the present channel to a different channel that has less interference.